INXS and Jimmy Barnes - "Good Times"
1987
The Lost Boys looked promising upon release: teen horror-comedy flick featuring the actors responsible for the two best performanes in Stand By Me: That era’s teen movie creepo Kiefer Sutherland and the irrepressible Corey Feldman. Throw in the other Corey (Haim) to advance the comedy (“that’s a serious book”) and include Jason Patric and Jami Gertz, who brought the darkly smoldering aspect. But upon three or four viewings over the decades, it’s never topped that first fun “watch it some Saturday night with roommates” vibe, though my most recent alone with Cutty Sark rocks and in the mood to laugh brought some valued summer entertainment.
“Good Time” by INXS and (who the heck is) Jimmy Barnes is heard twice in The Lost Boys, early in a boardwalk scene and then in the climatic waste-the-vampires scene:
Vampire: You missed, sucker.
Corey Haim: Only once, pal.
First heard this one in the summer of ‘87 on Q-98 out of Fargo, was quick to learn it was first recorded by Aussie legends The Easybeats, who featured Harry Vanda and George Young, later to go on to produce AC/DC albums. As let’s-have-some-fun songs goes it’s up there with and reminiscent of Eddie Cochran’s “C’mon Everybody” and in another throwback the party promises to include Little Richard’s Long Tall Sally and Larry Williams’ Bony Moronie. I have the single of the INXS/Barnes version, my 45 practically jumps off the turntable, what a grade-A fucking sound! Figures, it was remixed by Bob Clearmountain. (The B-side was remixed by Chris Thomas, which somehow made complete and utter sense when I first scanned the credits.) I bought my single at Cheapo way back when and it has a Fallon McElligott sticker on it. Makes you wonder who was running that joint back in the day — we know Sterling Cooper controller Lane Pryce wouldn’t go for buying random singles to play on the firm’s hi-fi.